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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28255284">A Most Dreadful Christmas Party</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonOfAMuggle/pseuds/SonOfAMuggle'>SonOfAMuggle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:28:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,065</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28255284</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonOfAMuggle/pseuds/SonOfAMuggle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco's First Ministry Christmas party is a bust until an unfortunate encounter leads to a new Beginning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Fanatical Fam's: Holiday Fic Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Most Dreadful Christmas Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rae_Saxon/gifts">Rae_Saxon</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Draco sipped a cocktail at the Ministry Christmas party. He was dressed in the finest robes of silver and navy. His hair was long and braided on the sides and the top slicked back to keep it from falling in his face. Pansy had done it herself proclaiming he looked elegantly intimidating. However that was the last reassurance he had received before she abandoned him for group of up-and-coming designers. Although she was pure-blood you could never tell by her manners. The first ministry party he had been invited to since the war and he had to face it alone.<br/>
<br/>
Draco meandered the edges of the room  accompanied only by his drink and self-pity. He couldn't find Pansy. He just wanted someone to talk to, to maybe make the evening bearable. Plenty of familiar faces, however no one was willing to engage him in conversation. The venue had a large center room flanked on either side by a series of hall way and alcoves that broke off a regular intervals. The space was decorated with exhortation amount of greenery wrapped in flashing rainbow-colored lights. The results was <strike>a</strike> nauseating.<br/>
<br/>
Draco was on his second turn around the hall and his third drink when he caught the eye of someone causing him to panic. His insufferable ex-boyfriend Justin Finch-Fletchley. Draco quickly turned, hoping the other man had not seen him.<br/>
<br/>
"Draco Malfoy, is that you!" his obnoxious voice called out. Draco dropped his glass in haste, dashing for the nearest hallway and turning into a hidden alcove at random. <em>Merlin he hoped Justin hadn't followed him. The last thing he wanted was for that concede arsehole to know he was here with out a partner on Christmas.</em></p><p><br/>
The low hanging garland framing the entrance caught in Draco's mane of hair. The scratchy leave tore at the delicately arranged braids. Draco tried in furry to release himself. Finally he managed to pull free, loosing a few blond hairs in the process.<br/>
<br/>
"Draco dear, I know I saw you. Come have a drink!"</p><p>Draco cringed in panic he backed up farther in to the alcove. "Ouch."<br/>
Draco tripped, his hand caught a sheet of fabric and fell backwards, catching a glimpse of green eyes and a mess of dark hair. <em>Shit.</em><br/>
<br/>
"There you are, Draco. I thought I saw your handsome face haunting the ball room."<br/>
<br/>
"Justin, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't know you were going to be here," Draco said trying for all the world to look like he hadn't run away from a boggart.<br/>
<br/>
"Yes, I came with Russel Hornbee, you know, from Magical law enforcement office. Unfortunately, he left on urgent business and I've been left without a partner to play Dirty Santa with. Would you join me?"<br/>
<br/>
"Oh . . er . . I would love to, Justin, but you see, I came here with someone. And it would be terrible rude to abandon them." Damn, he was out of practice. Deflecting and redirecting social situations used to come so naturally. Now he sounded like a bumbling idiot.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, what a pity. It looked like you were alone. Where is your date? I would love to meet them."<br/>
<br/>
"Well . . .they, er, don't like crowds or lots of attention, so they . . ."<br/>
<br/>
"I'm right here, Justin." Potter said firmly, appearing from what seemed like nowhere.<br/>
<br/>
Draco barely managed to hide his surprise at the words.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, Mr. Potter, I didn't see you there."<br/>
<br/>
"Yes, well, that was the idea," Potter said with just the right inflection, placing his arm around Draco's waist. <em>When did he get so smooth?</em> The warm hand on his back was surprisingly reassuring.<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, so sorry to disturb you both." And with a wink Justin left.<br/>
<br/>
Harry dropped his arm, turning to face Draco. His brilliantly green eye swept over the man. <em>Merlin, he must be look a disheveled mess.</em><br/>
<br/>
"Great, that will be headlining The Prophet  tomorrow," Draco said.<br/>
<br/>
"Nah, Justin owes me. He'll keep his mouth shut. This time at least," Harry said with an easy confidence.<br/>
<br/>
"I didn't need saving."<br/>
<br/>
"I guess I interpreted your moronic stuttering incorrectly," Harry said, picking a leaf out of Draco's hair. "I can call him back if you like. . ."<br/>
<br/>
"No!" Draco knew the panic was etched in his face and he hated himself for it. "What are you doing here anyway, Potter?"<br/>
<br/>
"Same as you. Hiding."<br/>
<br/>
"And what is the hero of the wizarding world hiding from?" Draco asked sardonically.<br/>
<br/>
"Everyone," he said with such sincerity it caught Draco off guard.<br/>
<br/>
"I know what you mean," Draco replied after a pause. He straighting his robes atemping to return some order to his appearance.<br/>
<br/>
A magic voice sounded from the atrium. "Please, make your way into the dinner hall. First course will be served shortly."<br/>
<br/>
The panic was in Potter's face, now. Frozen for a moment like a deer caught in wand light. He pulled nervously at his collar, hand grazing the stubble of his beard. It pleased Draco that he wasn't the only one dreading dinner. The thought of breaking bread with the people who snubbed him all evening was irritating to say the least.<br/>
<br/>
"Scared, Potter?"<br/>
<br/>
"Terrified." <em>There was that honesty again.</em><br/>
<br/>
"What's this, a Gryffindor admitting he's afraid?" Draco taunted but his voice lacked the old malice. He didn't hate Potter anymore; he wasn't sure he ever really did.</p><p><br/>
"Better hurry, Draco, you'll miss your chance to sit next to Finch-Fletchley."<br/>
<br/>
"And you're going to miss your photo opp with the Minister!"<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, so you did want us to make to make cover?" <em>Us?</em></p><p>Draco almost smiled. The sound of scraping chairs and clinking dinner ware could now be heard. Dread filled the tight garland-adored alcove. The moments ticked away and neither companion made a move but to shift their stance in unease.<br/>
<br/>
"We could just, not go back in," Draco suggested half heartily<br/>
<br/>
"Wouldn't that be poor manners? I thought a Malfoy would have higher standards then that." <em>Wait, that teasing it was almost flirty. Was Potter flirting with him?</em>  Draco shifted his footing on the stone floor feeling his old confidence returning.<br/>
<br/>
"Poor manners? No, no, you see I simply have a more pressing social contract to uphold."<br/>
<br/>
"Oh, and what's that?"<br/>
<br/>
"I need to repay you for rescuing me earlier. Dinner perhaps?"<br/>
<br/>
Harry's warm smile reached his emerald eyes. "Well,  I have no choice. It would be rude to say no." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Merry Christmas Rae!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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